Physical Conditioning
by The Duchessa of Belezza
Summary: A multiclassing halfling is put to the test by her druid mentor. Rated for semisexual situtions and mild cursing. Just an excuse for D&D fluff that I can't get in game.


AN: Well, then, here's a piece of D&D fluff, just for you. Two things to know:

1. The reason Iggy's character doesn't have a gender is because they were killed as a Human male fighter earlier in the game only to be reincarnated as an elven female monk, by Aust. Therein lies Iggy's sexual confusion

3. Sorry about the huge words saying **BORDER** everywhere. FF wouldn't let me keep my own, but the story isn't meant to read straight through, so we'll both just have to learn how to deal…

2. Cha is an actually character in my role-play, while Aust is an NPC the DM was using. I think I gave enough of the back story between the two to be sure you'd understand, but if you don't, drop me a PM!

The Duchessa

**BORDER**

Cha sighed it- was the moment of truth.

"We need some more firewood." the rouge said from her position against a tree, a little ways away from the steadily drooping fire.

The fire was dwindling and someone had to get more firewood. No one wanted to, but someone had to go out into the densely wooded area surrounding the campsite they'd pitched in a clearing to fetch some firewood to keep the shadows at bay. Ever lazy Azmaria recognized that she may be called on to complete this task and quickly closed her eyes, feigning sleep from her position on the ground. She even went so far as to mumble a little and drool a bit on her makeshift bedroll.

_One down_

Iggy was inexperienced-he-she _**it­**_would get themselves killed if they ventured too far from the safety of the fire. Although eager to prove itself, it would be a suicidal attempt to send it out into the woods at this late hour.

_Two down_

The pixie was too small to carry any substantial amount of firewood. Although altogether useful in battle and magic, the pixie lacked in skills such as these.

_Three down_

That left Cha-the one who noticed the pitiful excuse of a pit of embers- and Calimir, the faun. He shrugged in a nonchalant attitude and stated, "I don't care either way."

_Four down_

That left the Halfling rouge to scrounge around and find something to feed the flames of the campfire.

"Don't worry yourselves with it, _I'll_ get it…" Cha mumbled and stood to her feet, brushing some dirt off her tunic and pants and turning her back to the feeble warmth the fire gave off.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Azmaria shot up out of her bedroll and asked, "Who wants to play blackjack?" The others clamored around to play, completely prepared to gamble away all of Cha's unattended items.

**BORDER**

It wasn't fair that Cha wasn't born with low light vision. It really would have come in handy while stomping around the forest, looking for some kindling that wasn't dampened by the day's earlier shower. As she stole deeper into the bowls of the forest, she noted the silence. No owls-no night cicadas- nothing. A breeze stirred through the trees, ruffling Cha's shoulder length hair. The silence of the normally chitterling forest alarmed Cha, and she took out her daggers as precaution, not out of any true fear. One could never be too careful when by oneself.

The silence held a peaceful quality that Cha hadn't realized before, it made her shoulders slump and her entire posture lose the rigidity it held when she was prepared for battle. She continued her way, feeling the peaceful presence was deeper in the forest than she had originally intended to go. Cha could feel in her very being that whatever was emitting this calm would bear no ill will towards her. With that, she closed her eyes and let herself be guided to the epicenter of the serene aura.

**BORDER**

With every step she took, Cha felt a greater feeling of purpose in what she was doing. Every advancing footstep assured her that no, this wasn't a stupid idea, and no, it wouldn't be a trap. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she had arrived in another clearing not unlike the one her companions inhabited for the night. The only difference between where she came from and where she arrived was that instead of a messy campsite and four dysfunctional adventurers, she saw a tall dark haired elf sitting in the lotus position, meditating.

Quickly ducking behind a bush, Cha peeked over at the elf she hadn't seen for weeks.

"Aust" she breathed, letting the name roll off her tongue experimentally. She hadn't said it aloud since they had last parted, but the name and the elf hadn't stopped running through her head since then either. She smiled faintly at her memory of him and contented herself to watch him from behind her bush, soaking in the calming aura he was emitting from his deep mediation.

She closed her eyes briefly and replayed the instances she had with the elf in question. He was a proud and strong druid, deeply connected to his forest and strove to protect it. She thought back to another elf she was acquainted with-Mari. Aust was the polar opposite to her; it was actually hilarious to see the two clash. Where she was loud and occasionally obnoxious, he was quite and reserved never saying more than need be. It was an event for Cha when he offered to teach her-even though she was not of elven blood- the ways of the druid.

He was a kind a patient teacher, who gently guided her through meditation and elementary magic, not once getting angry when she messed up. The thought back to when she was first learning one of the chants to facilitate magic. She had flubbed on the ancient phrase and insulted his entire family line. Upon realizing her mistake, she had blushed profusely bowing low to the ground and begging for forgiveness. He had patted her bent head, and then hooked his index finger under her chin to bring her eyes to meet his. "Don't worry," he had said with a smile. He then tapped her nose with the same finger. "We'll do it again, just try not to curse my family to oblivion this time, hmm?" And with that she rose and tried the meditation exercise again. With him directing her breathing a posture she had eventually gained a remedial understanding of druid abilities, but she would never compare to him.

With this, Cha opened her eyes to an empty clearing. Panicking, she swung her head back and forth, trying to locate her missing mentor.

"Looking for me?" The voice put shivers down her spine, it could only be him. She quickly turned around to meet nose to nose with the man she had been daydreaming about.

"Oh, Aust, hey-um, sorry for intruding-"

"Silly you, you weren't intruding, rather I was just about done with my meditation anyway. I'm glad you came. Have you been keeping up with those exercises I showed you?"

Cha blinked at the sudden proximity. "Funny thing about that is-" She started, but stopped when she saw the look of disappointment in his eyes, she then quickly changed her answer.

"Yep! Every chance I get!" His eyes brightened as another smile graced his lips "Good, let's see how far you've progressed." He then grabbed both of Cha's hands and pulled her to her feet. Here was when Cha could see how much shorter she was than Aust. She came up to just below his shoulder, felt like the shortest Halfling ever when Aust had to instruct her from his knees.

He led her to the clearing he was in just moments ago and left her standing while he sunk to his knees. "The early magic I taught you should be growing stronger as you meditate. I want to see just how soon it is that you'll overtake me in druid ability." he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Cha attempted a smile "Oh, don't overestimate me just yet." She said meekly. She then began the spell to create water.

"Juetshi Niutmea huib tankar!"

A few drops of water formed in her hands. Hardly enough to wash her hands with, much less drink. Aust frowned at the pitiful display.

"Well, that doesn't make sense..."Aust's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, he said, "it should be much more than that." He put his chin in the gap of cartilage between his thumb and forefinger. "How have your physical attacks been then? It could be an overall deficiency that's holding you back…"

Then Aust stood up and slipped into an offensive fighting stance. He then cocked his head at her and said, "Fight me."

**BORDER**

Cha laughed a little and look up at him with a hand on her hip." For a second there, I thought you said you wanted me to fight you…"

"I did"

"Why? You'd totally kick my ass any day of the week"

"If your physical combat has weakened as well, that indicates a severe internal chi blockage. If I don't rectify it, your chakras may be irreversibly damaged, hindering you from ever using magic again. To figure out if this is true, I need to see how well you are performing at now."

"So you're going to kick my ass to see how much healing I need?"

"Exactly." He then aimed a punch at Cha's head, seeing how it was the only thing he could easily access without stooping.

Cha quickly ducked to the floor and rolled around to the back of Aust. She then stood up and placed her hands lightly against his lower back to feel his movements a split second before his made them based on the rotation of his spine. It wasn't much, but it could keep her from being completely obliterated by the more experienced warrior.

"Hey, wait, can't we do this another way-" Aust flipped forward and out of Cha's reach.

"This is a lot more strenuous than I thought it would be" he said pulling his tunic over his head and off his body. He tossed the shirt onto a low hanging branch while Cha attempted to catch her breath. While completely appreciative of the new view Aust had given her-she couldn't wait to incorporate this _new _view of Aust into her daydreams-she held her hand to her heart, trying to control the rapid beating in her ribcage.

Aust then turned around and advanced again, a flurry of jabs, punches and kicks aimed at her, pushing her back to the edge of the clearing, where the grass meet the trees. Cha was barely able to deflect his advances and was completely reduced to defensive fighting by his advanced skill and speed. When her back brushed against one of the larger trees, she knew she had to get herself out of the corner she had been worked into.

Cha stuck her right foot out and hooked it around Aust's left, jerking it towards her to hopefully trip him. However, the fates have a sense of humor and decided to kill any attempts of escape Cha concocted.

His eyes widening at his sudden loss of balance, Aust threw his weight forward to counteract falling. Grapping onto Cha's shoulders for balance, his weight and momentum proved too much for the Halfling as she fell forward with the motion he was falling at as well. The result of this botched trip ended in Cha's straddling of a very confused Aust.

For a heartbeat, the two just looked at each other, trying to figure just what had happened. One of each of Cha's hands was against both sides of Aust's face as a slow blush crept across both of their cheeks. Suddenly Aust's green eyes took on the mischievous glint they had before when he'd complimented her. Grabbing Cha and pressing her to him, he rolled over so that he was straddling her with each of his hands against her head.

Cha attempted to get out from under him by propping herself up on her forearms. Aust lowered his head to hers, touching his forehead to hers.

"I think you are in fine physical condition."

End!

Signing out, The Duchessa of Belezza

Reviewing is a practice seen as a helpful and generous effort on the ehalf of the reader. Anyone who decides to partake in this practice will be forever held in the utmost regard by this author.


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